The Queen's Knight
by Emo Fox
Summary: AU/Fantasy - Naruko, a foreigner, becomes the Queen's body guard. Civil unrest, war, and assassination lurk around every corner. Will this girl be able to protect the Queen? Or, will Konoha fall? SasuNaru/Genderbent


Author's Notice: 

Welcome to my new project.

In case you missed it in the description SASUKE AND NARUTO ARE FEMALE IN THIS STORY.

Haa, I don't want to get reviews saying how confusing it is. This is just the alternate reality I felt like writing, and that's what it's going to be. Anyway, not to just scream in your face and leave, I do hope you enjoy this story and leave me a review at the bottom.

Also, anything you know about Konoha lore or whatever, just throw that out the window, okay? I'm kind of just doing my own thing with dashes of real history/lore to create this world, so give me a bit of wiggle room, hm?

Thanks for reading!

"The Queen's Knight"

'Chapter One'

By: Emo Fox

The Uchiha kingdom was located in the Konoha province. It was flanked by high ranking clans of their nation, beyond that were those of lower blood, then the working class who ultimately made up the bulk of the village. Konoha was one of the largest nations, having the longest history and being the most reputable among its neighbors.

It had wealthy trading contracts with its neighbors, and an extensive military defense overlooked by Kakashi Hatake; a legend among many, his warriors were always top notch and had defended the kingdom many times in the past.

But, Konoha's reputation was smudged, and unrest began to stir in the ranks, especially among the lower classes.

The surrounding nations had begun to grow almost in response to the recent Uchiha tragedy.

Three years before Sasuko's brother had murdered the entire Uchiha clan, save for his younger sister.

The Uchiha clan was the oldest, most extensive clan, the roots that spawned the tree that would ultimately be Konoha. But, in a single night, they had all been murdered in the most ghastly way; in the dead of night, her brother had descended on the clan like a demon and in the morning there was none left except for the young princess left to scream in a pool of her mother's blood.

The unrest grew as time wore on; the village viewed the blood marked princess as cursed and feared their neighbors, knowing a raid or even a take over was close to come. The people wanted a strong leader and they didn't think the princess, who had isolated herself so completely from her people, was the leader they needed.

The surrounding noble clans attempted to court the princess with their heirs, wanting her to choose a king to rule beside her, to reinforce Konoha to the point of power and revere it was used to—

But she refused, refused every offer that came her way and furthered her isolation and the bitter anger they felt towards her.

Sasuko wasn't one for politics, ever since her family was murdered and her brother turned rogue she detached herself from all affairs. Her few remaining advisors dealt with the shaky trade alliances, speaking for her in matters of state, and keeping the relative peace though it was becoming noticeable, even to her, that the people were just waiting to see her overthrown or assassinated.

It wasn't that she wanted this power, or even this kingdom, but she couldn't give it up.

There were just so many questions she still had, and she knew this castle, this kingdom, her position, they were somehow the answers but she couldn't figure out this elaborate puzzle her brother had left her.

_Why was I left? _

The question reverberated in her brain, a constant, incessant whisper of a noise.

Sasuko just couldn't figure it out, the answer was not clear. Why did Itachi leave her the kingdom, yet kill everyone else? Why did he decide to live in disgrace and leave her this political venture she wasn't ready for?

It left the castle a huge empty place, and the clan manor which was encased behind the castle walls was a quiet haunted place Sasuko had never visited again after that night.

It was still so fresh.

The nightmares that woke her at night, the screams she could hear under the silence of the wind, the blood she could see in the shadows on the floor—

Sasuko slumped over the throne, the seat next to her vacant, vigilant in its rigid oak posture. Her blue-black curls tumbled in dense masses over her shoulders and pooled around her hips. She leaned heavily against the left arm rest, her dark eyes vacant as she stared at the polished white marble floor.

The other nobles kept vying for her favor, after every refusal, just came a more vehement family thrusting their son in front of her, or sending gifts, too many gifts. It was all a ploy, they didn't want her, they wanted the throne, the kingdom, the power. She was a pawn in the grand scheme of things, and her brother left her here, but for what purpose?

It should be him up on this throne, dealing with marriage proposals and trying to keep the peace of the state.

She should just give up her place, live like a rogue, like her brother—

But, she couldn't. Itachi left her the kingdom for a reason. Itachi killed their entire family, but for a reason.

She had to believe this was just some intricate puzzle, that there was a reason for this madness and inconsolable heartache.

She had to believe, or there was no reason for her not to throw herself from the battlements and end this nightmare. There was reason here, there was an answer here, and until she figured it out she would not share or give up her throne.

Her thoughts were cut short by a loud knocking at the doors of the chamber. Across the expansive room she stared at the towering black oak doors, debating whether or not to call the person in. Finally, after another sharp three raps she called, "Enter." Her voice vibrated against the high walls of the empty space.

The doors opened silent as a whisper and Kakashi stepped into the room, moving with a grace and dignity befitting his station. He stood a respectable five feet from the queen, his hands tucked behind his back, "It's an urgent matter."

Sasuko tilted her head up on her palm, studying the tall man whose face was half covered by the red cowl draped around his neck that clashed with his ivory armor like a shock of blood. "Inform me." She said with a bored drawl.

Kakashi looked down at the tiny queen, swallowed by the elaborate mourning gown she wore; the velvet, lace, and ribbons concealing the petite frame underneath completely. Of course the time for mourning had passed, the loss of family only required six months of mourning, and once the queen had ascended the throne it was custom to wear the traditional dress of the clan. However, Sasuko had disregarded custom, and continued to wear the somber black, which furthered to darken her image in the view of the people. Kakashi looked at her through the mesh veil she wore that was pinned smartly over the top of her head with a distractingly long ostrich feather. "As you know there has been unrest in the village."

"I thought you said this was urgent." Sasuko replied impatiently, "Continue." She waved her hand, a considerable rude gesture but Kakashi took no offense.

After all, he had known her since she was an infant, and before that he had been employed with the family as a guardsman. He came up in rank from then to now, becoming the captain of the guard, but he still prided himself as a family friend and dismissed a lot of Sasuko's breech of conduct. He should try and mold her more to what she should be, as a friend, he was also a mentor and advisor to her; but the grief he saw in her flat black eyes, the way her lips drew in that firm line—

He couldn't bring himself to force her, even though he knew her clothes were wrong, her attitude was wrong, and what she was doing to her people was wrong.

All he could do was try and guide her, but he knew he would not be able to force her. All he could remember was the happy smiling girl she used to be, and what he saw now was nothing like the image in his mind.

"Our noble clans have offered sons, which you have always denied." He caught her sharp look and continued smoothly, "But I don't think the future lies within Konoha itself."

"What do you mean?" Sasuko's brows furrowed.

"To find strength I believe you need to travel and reform your alliances your family worked so hard for."

Sasuko recoiled from Kakashi, her gaze fell elsewhere, "Travel? Perhaps we can just send them favors."

"I believe that would be unwise."

Sasuko frowned, clearly annoyed, "So you propose I travel all over the world? Leave the castle unguarded?"

"Of course not." Kakashi said, a smile to his voice, "We will still have guards posted here and the castle is not barren without you, majesty."

"Who will be travelling with me?" She asked sharply, her tone indicating she hadn't agreed but she was not beyond reason.

"Four of my best guardsman, and a personal body guard I have recently hired onto staff."

Sasuko looked up at the tall white haired man, her eyes searching his face a moment, confused that he had not offered himself, "You will not be travelling?"

Kakashi frowned beneath the fabric of his cowl, somehow feeling like he was betraying the queen by staying behind. But, he knew this would be good for her, if he couldn't force her out of her shell, maybe travelling, meeting new people, and being submerged in the political game she had tried so hard to ignore—may coax her out of this depression. "I need to stay here, we have other recruits to train, and they need a leader here, while you're away."

Sasuko was quiet a long moment, taking in the sight of Kakashi's pearl black eye as well as his blood colored one. She stared long and hard, remembering the day he came home with that damaged eye and that jagged scar. The eye had filled with blood, leaving the white a murky pink and leaving the iris a burnt red.

There were rumors that his left eye had been cursed by a witch, that Kakashi could see more than what a normal person could see.

But, Sasuko knew that couldn't be true, after all, where was Kakashi's magic vision when her parents were murdered?

No, that was just a normal eye; even if it was cursed, or magical, it obviously didn't see anything important, so what was the point of it?

Sasuko looked away, unable to stare at Kakashi's face any longer. Where had he been when her brother had killed her family? "Will it be safe?" Sasuko asked in a far away voice.

"Of course, I would never put you in danger." Kakashi said confidently.

"When do you propose I make this journey?" Sasuko murmured, giving in.

"As soon as possible."

"Perhaps I should at least meet whom I am to be travelling with?"

Kakashi nodded, "Of course, I'll fetch them." With that he turned on his heel and fled the room, the heavy doors shutting with finality behind him, catching just a glimpse of his red cloak before he was gone.

Sasuko sat up in her seat, her milk white hands spread on the arm rests of the throne. Her feet didn't even touch the ground, the silk slippers hovering two inches from the polished floor. She was apprehensive about this journey; she had not been out of the castle since the massacre.

Somehow travelling with a group so small, it unnerved her.

But, she understood that anything larger would be thought of as a threat, or the very least, a challenge.

She understood the point of it, but she didn't like it.

Kakashi re-entered the chamber, a trail of warriors behind him. The four warriors he had trained personally fanned out on either side of him. They looked confident and stout in their armor, tall and competent.

Sasuko didn't get up from her seat, silently observing the group Kakashi placed before her. They seemed battle-hardened; she decided she would feel safe under their watch. "Very well," Sasuko murmured, "Who is to be my body guard?"

Kakashi kept quiet a moment before he turned, gesturing towards the shadow of the hall, beckoning someone inside.

Sasuko kept her seat, though she had an urge to sit up straighter, to try and peer beyond Kakashi to see this mysterious new elite to Kakashi's team. At first she heard the quiet tapping of boots on marble, then the swish of heavy fabric across the floor, and then she saw the girl emerge from behind the captain, standing a full head shorter than Kakashi.

The girl was blonde, a bright flax color that was drawn up in two tails on either side of her head, though the straight hair fell in rivers down her shoulders. The armor she wore was dark cobalt, almost black, and the cloak that swept the ground was made of fox hair, a russet orange spotted with white, brown, and black. Her skin was tan, dark, indicating a life in the open air, but her eyes were a piercing sky blue. She had marks on her cheeks, paint, or maybe tribal tattooing—she looked like a ruffian despite her clean appearance.

Sasuko had observed quietly, staring at the stranger, taking in every detail, but the revulsion showed easily on her face.

Despite that she was obviously a barbarian; the worst part of it was that she was a woman. Maybe her same age, she looked so small and incompetent next to Kakashi and his band of men.

"What is this?" Sasuko asked, her tone taking on an irritated lilt, "A joke, Kakashi, surely."

The blonde woman frowned, her hands on her hips, but Kakashi's hand fell heavy on the woman's shoulder, "This is Naruko Uzumaki," Kakashi said easily, "I've trained her these past years and I believe she is ready to come under full employment and I'm confident she will be the best body guard you could ever find."

Sasuko's brows shot up, such high praise, it was very unlike Kakashi to say something so serious; especially in regards to Sasuko's life, how could he be so sure this strange blonde woman would be able to do the job? She felt herself being swayed, but then she shot up from her throne and stormed across the room.

Her dress rustled across the tiles, the entire band was tense before her, except the woman whom she approached, looking just as cross as before. Sasuko was a few inches shorter than her, but that didn't matter, she stared up at her fiercely just the same, "She's so small, I want someone else."

"Small?" Naruko balked, "You're shorter than me!"

Sasuko recoiled, a flush on her face, "How dare you!"

"Dare me?" Naruko laughed, actually laughed right at the queen, "I'm just here because Kakashi wanted me to guard your prissy ass—"

"That's enough." Kakashi said, his voice loud and demanding, both women were quiet, glaring hard at each other.

Sasuko was completely taken aback, unable to comprehend what she had just been called, and how unruly this woman was. Surely this was a mistake, a joke, Kakashi couldn't expect this girl to take her life seriously—right?

Kakashi sighed, "I would not have you before you unless I can vouch that she will do her job." Kakashi was hoping he was doing the right thing here; at first he thought Naruko may be able to help Sasuko further out of her shell, but after this confrontation he wasn't so sure. But, he couldn't take his words back now, and he was confident at least that Naruko could do her job—even if she probably wouldn't become Sasuko's friend, like he had first hoped.

Sasuko folded her arms hotly over her chest, unable to break gaze with Naruko, not wanting to back down first.

"She comes from a small tribe on the outskirts of the village, she was found orphaned as an infant, and eventually came into the care of someone in Konoha. She aspired to become a warrior, and I decided to train her." Kakashi said easily, ignoring how Naruko fidgeted as her life story was told to everyone in the room, "She showed great potential and I'm confident in her training, in my ability to train, and I can guarantee you, she will be the finest warrior you have ever had."

Sasuko was quiet, digesting everything Kakashi had said. Such high praise, it unsettled her. What had he seen in her, that Sasuko could not?

She wanted to disagree, a childish part of her wanted to throw a tantrum until Naruko was dismissed from sight—but, that more mature part of her wanted to accept this, only for Kakashi's sake. Even if he hadn't been there on that fateful day, her family owed Kakashi so much, with defending their boarders and keeping the peace. If anything, she'd agree as a favor to her mentor—

After all, she had four able-bodied men, and she was sure they could pick up the slack Naruko may leave.

Sasuko caught the blonde's eyes, the fire in them was halting, and finally she turned her gaze up to Kakashi, "Very well, I will take your word." She said easily, in an attempt to not lose face in submitting to Kakashi's will. "We will leave tomorrow morning, I trust everyone will be ready by then?" She glanced to the group, attempting to instill her authority.

They all bowed, except Naruko, who had to be guided by Kakashi to show deference.

Sasuko frowned, her muscles tensed as she glared at the newcomer.

Sasuko didn't think this was going to be a very easy trip, and she mentally cursed Kakashi for forcing this barbarian on her.


End file.
